Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-02-25
OLD HIRAM ssSr1oKs.Y

One of the Most ROusing and Notable
Meetings Ever Held In the History
of This Ancient, Venerable and In
huential LOdge-The Grand Ledge
Representatives Fail to show Up
Eloquent Speeches VIndlcating Old
E1fram-A Move to D1sown the Grand
Lodge and SuPersede 1T With a New
One.
The regular meeting of Old Hiram lodge
No. 1, F. and AN, last night was one which
will ever live in the history of the lodge as
one of most memorable character. It was a
''grand rally" of the lodge. Between four
hundred and five hundred members were
present. Members were there whose faces
had not been seen for years owing to their
advancing years and infrmities. It was a
notable gathering also in the numbers of
prominent and influential men Of the city
who were present. At the meeting it was
expected that the great fight between Hiram
and the Grand lodge would assume perhaps
q new aspect, as it was expected that the
grand master would appear. In fact, Secre-
tary Beers of Hiram had received notification
from Grand Master Green that he intended
to visit Hiram last evening and should give
the lodge chance to fill the alleged vacancies
in the official positions in Hiram, the occu-
pants of which were deposed by the Grand
lodge. Old Hiram pays no attention to the
order deposing said officials, disregarding the
order of the Grand lodge. Also Grand Mar
shall N w. Price had delivered several
Gun Masonic communications" addressed to
whom it may concern) to Secretary Beers on
the subject in dispute. Hiram lodge did not
IL
pectation at Hirsm's meeting last night.
The grand master was looked for and waited
for, but no grand master appeared, although
members of Hiram afterward found that
Grand Master Green, Grand Marshal Price,
Past Grand Barlow, of Birmingham, and
others were in the building, having for some
reason failed to ''come to time" Finally
the lodge settled down to the conviction
that the grand officers were not coming in.
Then speeches were made. Hon.
Lynde Harrison led off with a rous-
ing speech and very powerful
arraignment of the Grand lodge, charging it
with attempting an unwarrantable use of
power and the exercise of arbitrary measures
with regard to Hiram in its edict ordering
Hiram to change its ancient and time honor
ed mode of work in use by the lodge for one
hundred and thirty-six years, and long be-
fore the Grand lodge was even thought Of
He advised Old Hiram to stand firm to its
cOlOrS ana MAINTAIN us pOslCIOn. " Qeu inc
Grand lodge was instituted, nearly 100
years ago, it made a solemn com
pact with Old Hiram and the other
lodges not to interfere with the ancient Ma
sonic work, but to strictly conform to these
ancient usages and in no wise alter and
change them. Now the Grand lodge violates
the compact and orders a change to show its
authority. There were six or seven lodges
which formed the Grand lodge. Mr.. Barri-
son spoke at length in one of his best viens.
An eloquent address was also made by Hon.
Colin NJ. Ingersoll, whose father, Hon.
R. I. Ingersoll, once minister to Rus
sia, was once master of Old
Hiram. He strongly counselled old Hiram
to stand firm. Lawyer Julius Twiss gave
capital speech, showing tie relationship of
lodges to the Grand lodge.
Henry G. Pardee, N. F. Burritt, John R.
Hutchinson, Hon. Benjamin Noyes, James
D. Dewell and Herbert E. Benton also made
addresses. There was but one voice, and
that was in hearty support of Hiram's po-
sition. The speeches were long and
loudly applauded. The lodge was in
session till the clocks of the city struck the
midnight hour. Prominent Hiramites say
that the Grand lodge will get Roland for
an Oliver; that instead of being disowned,
new Grand lodge will be created, and the
present Grand lodge disowned. They say
that Masons all over the State are in hearty
sympathy with Old Hiram. At the et.ng
of the GRAND. lodge officers, it is reported, it
was decided to demand Hiram to surrender
its charter.